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Review by: Jack Foley | Rating:
One
DVD SPECIAL FEATURES: Director's commentary; Deleted scenes;
Alternate ending. Music video 'N.S.E.W.' by Disturbing The Peace;
Theatrical trailer.
MARTIN Lawrence is an actor in need of a good sequel - perhaps
Bad Boys 2 will do the trick.
Ever since appearing alongside Will Smith in the 1995 original,
Lawrence has been churning out pale, unfunny comedies that strive
to recapture the winning persona he displayed in that double act.
Hence, we have since had the likes of What’s The Worst That
Could Happen?, Black Knight, and Blue Streak (which is also to
get a sequel) to endure and, now, the truly abysmal National Security.
Co-starring Steve Zahn (a comedy actor I have previously admired),
the film is a pathetic attempt to tackle the issue of racism with
laughter, but feels so laboured and misjudged throughout, that
audiences are likely to feel more insulted than inspired when
(or if) they emerge from cinemas.
Lawrence stars as aspiring cop, Earl, who gets thrown out of
the police academy for being too confrontational and takes a job
as a security guard.
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He is then stopped by honest white cop, Hank (Zahn), a man struggling
to come to terms with the murder of his partner, and takes issue
with his approach, falsely accusing Hank of assaulting him, Rodney
King-style, during a somewhat humorous incident with a bee.
Hank subsequently loses his badge, his girlfriend and is sent
to prison, emerging some time later still bearing a grudge and
forced to take a job with (you’ve guessed it), the same security
firm as Earl, eventually teaming up with him as they search for
his partner’s killers.
The rest of the film chronicles the begrudging respect that develops
between the two as they stumble from one gunfight to the next,
throwing in racial commentary at every opportunity without ever
really making it appear funny or relevant.
In fact, in an ironic twist on a familiar theme, writers Jay
Scherick and David Ronn attempt to make Earl appear the more racist
of the two, as he takes exception to everything race-related,
including inter-racial relationships (Hank’s ex-girlfriend
is, of course, black).
Lawrence, though, has neither the charisma, nor the talent, to
back it up and looks desperate in his attempt to generate laughs,
while Zahn (sporting one of the worst haircuts in recent screen
memory) merely looks like he has stumbled onto the wrong set and
is, quite literally, living a nightmare.
The action scenes, also, feel half-baked and unexciting, making
this a truly miserable experience for anyone who dares to see
it. A surefire contender for one of the worst movies of the year,
one can only pray that Bad Boys 2 will provide some form of redemption.
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